EA debuts Wild Hearts gameplay with February 2023 release date
EA and Koei Tecmo have officially unveiled Wild Hearts, a new action RPG coming to PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC in early 2023.
Here’s an official synopsis: “Master ancient tech to hunt down giant beasts. WILD HEARTS™ is a unique twist on the hunting genre where technology gives you a fighting chance against fearsome beasts infused with the ferocious power of nature itself. Take on these creatures alone or hunt with friends in seamless co-op.”
This partnership sees EA teaming up with development studio Omega Force, best known for its work on the long-running Dynasty Warriors franchise. By extension, Omega Force has created myriad adaptations, sequels, and spin-offs based on its high octane “1 vs 1000” brand of action gameplay. Beyond Samurai Warriors, and crossover series, Warriors Orochi, we’ve seen Omega Force worked on popular IP including One Piece, Gundam, and Fist of the North Star. Recent partnerships with Nintendo have also brought us the brilliant Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity and Fire Emblem Warriors.
Wild Hearts is completely new venture for Koei Tecmo on several fronts, including its first partnership with EA. However, Omega Force does have some experience in creating Monster Hunter-style action games. Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce stepped away from grand pitch battles in favour of smaller skirmishes, culminating in monster-like boss battles with an emphasis on portable, co-op play. Meanwhile, the Toukiden series was a more deliberate attempt to emulate Monster Hunter’s success, with an emphasis on slaying Oni with friends, harvesting their remains to create and upgrade a deadly arsenal of weapons.
Looking at some Wild Hearts gameplay, there’s an unmistakable overlap with Toukiden. However, this new game does away with demonic Oni enemies while giving players access to technologies that can help them take down its beastly behemoths.
Wild Hearts will launch on February 23, 2023, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (via Steam and Epic).
